Courting and Mating: Great crested grebes mating

[Jonathan Ashton]

Camera Model Canon EOS 7D
Shooting Mode Aperture-Priority AE
Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/800
Av( Aperture Value ) 7.1
Metering Mode Evaluative Metering
Exposure Compensation -1
ISO Speed 400
Lens EF500mm f/4L IS USM
Focal Length 500.0mm
White Balance Mode Daylight
AF Mode AI Servo AF
AF area select mode Manual selection
Picture Style Standard
Color Space Adobe RGB

I went back to the grebes fully expecting to see eggs and even a chick or two. I strongly suspect a lot of the nests had been flooded and the the mating/courtship had started all over again.
Shame about the branches obscuring the female's head... but that's nature, I have several similar shots, all with the head obscured, and it was just the same when I found another pair on another nest. I guess I will just have to go back and try again.

[Humberto Ramos]

Hi Jonathan,
I like the movement created by the wather drops, agree with yoy about the branches obscuring the female's head, I don´t know if was taken in a cloudy day or maybe at shadow, but I do think the shot needed some more color range.

[Frank Schauf]

A great situation.